It's time to Break It Down!
One of my favorite TV shows, and movies/sequels is Star Trek. Many of you no doubt recall the familiar phrase, “Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Well, we are nowhere near the 23rd Century, of course, but, a decade into the 21st Century, it is patently clear that contrary to what many hoped, and others believed, we are yet to successfully traverse the frontier of race; never mind space.
This matter takes on particular relevance as we dial in on the second half of the first year of what a number of my friends like to refer to as the post-Obama era, what others have labeled a post-racial society…and what, Thursday of next week, CNN will deem, “The Second Hundred Days!” I can still vividly recall the heady and halcyon days of our most recent Presidential campaign, and the full-throated debate that took place in many circles, regarding the importance of a then, “potential,” Obama victory.
First, to convey the gist of a post-Obama era, think about BC and AD; sign posts in the Gregorian and Julian calendars, separating the time before Jesus’ birth, and that time after the start of his epoch. Similarly, pre-Obama is symbolized by the time before November 8, 2008; post-Obama began November 8, 2008. On the calendar, there is no year zero, AD started with the birth of Jesus; BC included all time before then. Likewise, there is no buffer between pre- and post-Obama. The pre-Obama era lasted until late in the evening on Election Day. The post-Obama era began the moment the networks announced he had secured the Electoral votes necessary to become President.
So is there a palpable significance to this moment; something you can see, hear, taste, touch, or smell? And if there is, how does it make itself known? What form does it assume?
Well, I place it in the terms my friends used to frame it a year ago. Many of them believed, if, and for several, when, Barack Hussein Obama ascended to the Presidency, it would be a sign, or send a signal that the United States of America, Land of the Free; Home of the Brave, America the Beautiful, My Country ‘Tis Of Thee, This Land Is My Land…write in your own favorite anthem, had finally separated itself from the oppressive bonds of racialism.
In a parallel universe kind of way, blacks and whites alike adopted alternate chapters of the same book. Blacks, by and large, seemed to hope that through the singular accomplishments of Barack Obama, they would somehow collectively be rid of the myriad stereotypes that after hundreds of years are still all too frequently used to characterize an entire race as shiftless, shady, lazy, dangerous, and worse. Meanwhile, whites frequently espoused the opinion that electing Obama would at long last, finally relieve them of the weight of the ignominious Scarlet R; moreover, that they could then close that chapter…forever!
…Please; fagetaboutit! The spotlight on the matter of race is even brighter today, due at least in part to the current docudrama now familiarly known as “The President, The Professor, and The Policeman.” In short, on July 16th, a Harvard professor, Henry Louis (Skip) Gates, Jr. was arrested at his home, and charged with disorderly conduct after a confrontation with Cambridge police officer James Crowley. Gates is African American, the police officer is white, and President Obama, a friend of the professor, weighed in on the matter, saying “the Cambridge Police acted stupidly.”
In short order, the police department cried foul, the President retreated, and, the rest, as they say, is history. The nation has since then been engaged in a riveting, roiling controversy on race that elbowed the Health Care Reform debate from center stage, and even managed to push the ever increasingly macabre, month long (and counting) Michael Jackson saga into a secondary position in the media maelstrom. Interestingly, the much ballyhooed Black in America 2 never had a chance to build on the baseline of critical acclaim that last year’s two segments garnered, because of the resulting fallout from Cambridge.
Even more ironically, the Cambridge Police Department had dropped the charges against Professor Gates a day before the President’s comments. So, while it is fair to say even though the matter has not been squashed, there was a good chance it was on its way to a settlement, negotiated between the two parties. Not now; no way!
The President found himself in the unenviable position of feeling compelled to invite the two parties to the White House for a beer. Of course there is nothing wrong with that, inherently. The President already claims a personal relationship with Gates, and one can never have too many acquaintances who are members of “The Thin Blue Line.” Yet, when one considers the precarious state of the development and roll-out of pending Health Care Reform legislation, does the President really have quality time to devote to this imbroglio of his own creation? The short answer is he’d better!
Of course, I am NOT into dictating President Obama’s agenda, as a rule. But if anything became clear, as the fallout from Gates’ arrest, and Obama’s subsequent scathing review permeated the air ways, it is Americans still hold passionately disparate views on race. A noteworthy sub-plot may also have emerged. Many blacks criticized candidate Obama, otherwise erudite, urbane; even candid, for presenting a classically milquetoast stance on race matters, as he artfully scaled the lofty heights of the campaign. Alternately, many whites praised his post-racial posture. This cross-racial disconnect notwithstanding, his 2008 Philadelphia Statement on Race was widely hailed as balanced, temperate, and unifying. Still, that translated as non-threatening for some.
But by facing a reporter, and the nation, in a press conference and uttering the words, “the Cambridge police acted stupidly,” President Obama played a Joker, and in doing so changed the game. Yes, there are countless details to sift through. Sure, Skip Gates may be his friend. No, he may not have heard a full airing of all the facts. Absolutely, he was laboring under the intense pressure of the incredibly strategically important Health Care Reform debate.
But when you get right down to it, what happened, finally, was Barrack Hussein Obama II, for the first time as President of the United States, conceded publicly the obvious reality of “Race…The Final Frontier!” He laid bare a crack in his otherwise steely veneer. He spoke with the obvious empathy one feels when acknowledging a friend’s plight. He made a comment openly reflecting, and I might add, identifying with, the pent up anguish black men all across America experience, naturally and regularly. He spoke from the heart.
Now let us not be confused. He did not speak with prudence or restraint. He was not fully apprised of Officer Crowley’s side of the story, nor of his apparent distinguished record, including in the area of diversity. He was likely unaware of the extent to which Professor Gates gave the officer an ear-full. In the 20/20 vision of hindsight, observers from Colin Powell to Willie Brown have opined both the professor and the policeman could have handled the matter better.
In the end, however, the President, inviting the professor, and the policeman for a Beer Summit at the White House tomorrow may be just what the doctor ordered for this particular encounter. But more important, the President finding his voice on this critical subject…at last…is definitely the right prescription for moving this inestimably important topic and our Country forward at this crucial juncture in time. President Clinton called upon John Hope Franklin to carry the freight as Chair of his Race Commission. President Obama has volunteered himself. He needs to strike while the iron is white hot and take the next step in moving this issue and the debate that goes with it, forward. If he does, who knows? Perhaps we will be able to look back on the second decade of the 21st Century as both post-Obama and post-racial.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_no_man_has_gone_before
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/20/us/AP-US-Harvard-Scholar-Disorderly.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072001358.html
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=528584
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/21/massachusetts.harvard.professor.arrested/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/download/2009/0720/20120754.pdf
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/07/obama_cambridge.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23690567/
http://wbztv.com/local/obama.comment.cambridge.2.1097782.html
http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/07/28/Gates-Crowley-to-share-beer/1248812122.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/28/powell.palin/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Louis_Gates,_Jr.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ogletree
http://www.laprogressive.com/2009/04/04/rejecting-post-racility-an-ode-to-the-life-of-john-hope-franklin/
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tributes Trump Funerals
It's time to Break It Down!
Tributes Trump Funerals
Evelyn Dove
As advertised in the header, from time to time the work of guest bloggers may appear in this space. Though it has been quite some time, it has happened before…once, and it is happening again today. This week, I have the distinct pleasure to introduce to some and present to others, a Home Girl, a fellow UNC alum, an attorney, an author, but most important, a friend, Ms. Evelyn Dove.
She puts forth and develops a powerful case for re-examining and expanding upon a time-honored tradition; paying tribute to those near and dear to us. She uses the Michael Jackson case to underscore the lengths we go to usher folks into the afterlife, but ends by challenging us all to do better by our friends.
I enjoyed reading Ev’s work, and I gratefully accepted her generous offer to share her wisdom and insight with the Break It Down community, as a guest blogger. I am confident you will find her message compelling. Feel free to comment in the Break It Down comment section, to Ev directly, or by doing both. Her contact information appears at the end of the blog.
This was another Mother Lode of a week in terms of potential topics. In no particular order, things this week’s blog will not be about include:
• CNN’s BIA 2, that’s code for Black In America 2, for non
CNN viewers, kicks off tonight
• Judge Sonia Sotomayor seems a sure bet for conformation as the next
Supreme Court Justice
• Tiger Woods missed a cut last week at The British Open…
that must be news
• The Health Care debate rages on as the talking heads continue to
reiterate that now, 9 of 10 Republicans, and a majority, 55%,
of Independents do not approve of the way President Obama is
handling the issue
• Walter Cronkite, the venerable former TV news anchor, died at age
92 over the weekend
• America celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the
original moonwalk Monday, the popularity of Michael
Jackson’s version notwithstanding
• News outlets still managing to squeeze out alleged new developments in
Jackson’s death
• Details on the murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings, the Beulah,
Florida couple with 16 children, continue to emerge
• Michael Vick is a free to try to negotiate his way back into the
NFL
• India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China, and parts of the
Pacific were draped in a total eclipse of the sun earlier
today
However, in spite of that substantial listing of very weighty matters, it is all Ev today.
Thanks; enjoy!
Alpha Heel
Guest Blog
To my way of thinking, it is much better to give people their flowers while they live. That is why my vote every time will go to birthday parties, tributes, and roasts. At those events, the people being honored can hear the friends and family give testimonials. They can see the flowers and read the cards themselves. They get to know what people say about them publicly. They get to smile, cry, and laugh out loud.
As I experienced the intense and massive media coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral, I kept asking the air, "How many people said these things to him while he lived?" I hope the answer is "all of these and more." But then, he called himself a lonely man.
Funerals have a historic and traditional place. They help the family with the grief process. The ceremonies offer the bereaved opportunities to express how they felt about the dearly departed. But the honoree, in each and every instance, cannot be an active participant.
I am not proposing that our culture stop having funeral ceremonies or memorial services. To the contrary, I simply suggest that we do more honoring people while they live. When someone is going through a life challenge; that is when they need to hear from their friends. When someone is spiraling along a difficult path; offer a helping hand or counseling. When a person is lonely; telephone, visit, have lunch, go to a movie. Visit sick people so they know that their friends have not forgotten and forsaken them. If you cannot visit, send a note while stamps are still only forty-four cents.
In this age of universal internet and cellular communication, an old-fashioned letter through the regular mail is a rarity. But writing to someone to tell them how much they mean to you is a good way to give people tributes while they live. Tributes don't always have to be expensive and fancy.
The group song presented during Michael Jackson's funeral was called "Heal the World." Let's begin the healing by giving tributes to people we care about in small ways such as letters they can read, cards they can see, and flowers they can smell. You go first. Begin today doing what you would do if your friend died tomorrow.
***
Evelyn Dove is a prayer counselor and mediator with PathChoice Ministry,
539 Briary Run, Kinston, North Carolina, 28501 - 252/527-3950 - evdove03@yahoo.com
http://giving.unc.edu/women/Summer2007/page3/page3.html
Holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
Tributes Trump Funerals
Evelyn Dove
As advertised in the header, from time to time the work of guest bloggers may appear in this space. Though it has been quite some time, it has happened before…once, and it is happening again today. This week, I have the distinct pleasure to introduce to some and present to others, a Home Girl, a fellow UNC alum, an attorney, an author, but most important, a friend, Ms. Evelyn Dove.
She puts forth and develops a powerful case for re-examining and expanding upon a time-honored tradition; paying tribute to those near and dear to us. She uses the Michael Jackson case to underscore the lengths we go to usher folks into the afterlife, but ends by challenging us all to do better by our friends.
I enjoyed reading Ev’s work, and I gratefully accepted her generous offer to share her wisdom and insight with the Break It Down community, as a guest blogger. I am confident you will find her message compelling. Feel free to comment in the Break It Down comment section, to Ev directly, or by doing both. Her contact information appears at the end of the blog.
This was another Mother Lode of a week in terms of potential topics. In no particular order, things this week’s blog will not be about include:
• CNN’s BIA 2, that’s code for Black In America 2, for non
CNN viewers, kicks off tonight
• Judge Sonia Sotomayor seems a sure bet for conformation as the next
Supreme Court Justice
• Tiger Woods missed a cut last week at The British Open…
that must be news
• The Health Care debate rages on as the talking heads continue to
reiterate that now, 9 of 10 Republicans, and a majority, 55%,
of Independents do not approve of the way President Obama is
handling the issue
• Walter Cronkite, the venerable former TV news anchor, died at age
92 over the weekend
• America celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the
original moonwalk Monday, the popularity of Michael
Jackson’s version notwithstanding
• News outlets still managing to squeeze out alleged new developments in
Jackson’s death
• Details on the murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings, the Beulah,
Florida couple with 16 children, continue to emerge
• Michael Vick is a free to try to negotiate his way back into the
NFL
• India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China, and parts of the
Pacific were draped in a total eclipse of the sun earlier
today
However, in spite of that substantial listing of very weighty matters, it is all Ev today.
Thanks; enjoy!
Alpha Heel
Guest Blog
To my way of thinking, it is much better to give people their flowers while they live. That is why my vote every time will go to birthday parties, tributes, and roasts. At those events, the people being honored can hear the friends and family give testimonials. They can see the flowers and read the cards themselves. They get to know what people say about them publicly. They get to smile, cry, and laugh out loud.
As I experienced the intense and massive media coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral, I kept asking the air, "How many people said these things to him while he lived?" I hope the answer is "all of these and more." But then, he called himself a lonely man.
Funerals have a historic and traditional place. They help the family with the grief process. The ceremonies offer the bereaved opportunities to express how they felt about the dearly departed. But the honoree, in each and every instance, cannot be an active participant.
I am not proposing that our culture stop having funeral ceremonies or memorial services. To the contrary, I simply suggest that we do more honoring people while they live. When someone is going through a life challenge; that is when they need to hear from their friends. When someone is spiraling along a difficult path; offer a helping hand or counseling. When a person is lonely; telephone, visit, have lunch, go to a movie. Visit sick people so they know that their friends have not forgotten and forsaken them. If you cannot visit, send a note while stamps are still only forty-four cents.
In this age of universal internet and cellular communication, an old-fashioned letter through the regular mail is a rarity. But writing to someone to tell them how much they mean to you is a good way to give people tributes while they live. Tributes don't always have to be expensive and fancy.
The group song presented during Michael Jackson's funeral was called "Heal the World." Let's begin the healing by giving tributes to people we care about in small ways such as letters they can read, cards they can see, and flowers they can smell. You go first. Begin today doing what you would do if your friend died tomorrow.
***
Evelyn Dove is a prayer counselor and mediator with PathChoice Ministry,
539 Briary Run, Kinston, North Carolina, 28501 - 252/527-3950 - evdove03@yahoo.com
http://giving.unc.edu/women/Summer2007/page3/page3.html
Holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
"The NAACP; 100 Years Later!"
It's time to Break It Down!
Irrelevant, passé, past its prime; all are terms that have been used recently, and for quite some time to describe the century-old National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Undoubtedly, others say much worse. However, regardless of what one may think about an institution that continues to refer to African Americans as Colored People near the end of the first decade of the 21st Century, the issue of the organization's’s viability remains a pertinent concern.
The venerable Organization celebrated its One Hundredth Anniversary, February 12, 2009. This past weekend, as the Organization kicked-off its Centennial-Year Convention in New York, the CNN Network posed the question, "Is the NAACP still relevant?"
Over the course of the past 100 years, the NAACP has been involved in many landmark decisions in America, having to do with race. But the question of the Day, apparently, is what has it done lately?
In an era when a black man can be elected President of the United States of America, numerous observers inquire, what mountains are left to be scaled in the arena of race in our society? It is fashionable to opine, that the war has been won; next!
That is where, here and now, I submit the question, as well as the premise it is built upon, is a non sequitur of the highest order. There are actually several staples that typically serve as the foundation for this fundamentally flawed and specious argument. The planks include:
• Existing civil rights legislation and protections
• Development and evolution of an identifiable black middle class
• Rising number of black elected officials
• President Obama
Make no mistake, the items on this list are important, and reflect a series of positive changes in our dear America the Beautiful. But do not get it twisted, nor be tempted to throw the baby out with the bath water. Each of those bullet points was the result of protracted battles, often fought by the NAACP. It is fair to say many battled, and in doing so, made the ultimate sacrifice to bring about the changes that are reflected by that list. Moreover, the battles continue.
Yes, blacks in America have made tremendous advances; however, it is not as though the start was on equal footing. The degree to which racial disparities continue to persist is staggering. In social and economic indicators across the board, blacks lag, and the gap while narrowing, is moving at a pace that if continued at the current pace, would require centuries to close. Consider just a few of the numbing details:
• The Institute of Policy Research found that 47.2% of blacks own homes compared
to 75.2% of whites
• The Covenant with Black America noted African Americans have a median net
worth of $5998, compared to $88,651 for whites; moreover 32% of blacks have
zero or negative net worth
• The black unemployment rate is consistently twice that of whites
• According to the National Urban League, nearly 25% of black Americans live
below the poverty line, nearly three times the percentage for whites
• It is estimated 13% of black 16-24 year-olds have not earned a high school
diploma; the number is 7% for whites
• The African American college graduation rate is 61% of that for whites
• Black infants are nearly 2.5 times more likely to die before their first
birthday than whites
(Courtesy of Anson Asaka; April 24, 2008)
Those are depressing statistics, but they do not by any means tell the entire story. Equally appalling figures detail disparities in HIV/AIDS rates, the propensity for incarceration, and victimization of blacks by police violence.
Add to all these measures the fact that almost daily some new affront or assault permeates the veneer that is our comfortably civil society. Whether it is likening the First Lady to an ape escaped from the Columbia, South Carolina Zoo, or disseminating an Obama White House Watermelon Patch parody (sent by high ranking government officials from California, and North Carolina), or rescinding a contract and barring black and Latino children from using a swimming in Pennsylvania, the facts are beyond dispute; there is much work to be done...still!
Given the weight of the evidence, I must conclude, “The NAACP; 100 Years Later,” is relevant, currently needed, and no where near its prime. If anything, we should all call collectively for substantial and capable reinforcement. Quickly!
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://naacpblogs.naacp.org/blog/?p=24
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100752659
http://www.naacp.org/about/history/howbegan/index.htm
http://www.africanaonline.com/orga_naacp.htm
http://newblackman.blogspot.com/2009/02/npr-is-naacp-still-relevant.html
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/05/naacp-still-rel.html
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/12/NAACP-still-relevant-leader-says/UPI-19391234469587/
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/387780_naacp14.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hBWSL3NpQc
http://www.michronicleonline.com/articlelive/articles/2781/1/Rev-Wendell-Anthony-answers-the-questionIs-the-NAACP-still-relevant/Page1.html
http://blogs.bet.com/news/pamela/2009/07/14/naacp-still-relevent/
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/07/14/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5159873.shtml
http://www.washingtoninformer.com/wi-web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1614:bold-dreams-big-victories-highlights-naacp-100th-anniversary-convention-&catid=51:national&Itemid=114
http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/136415
http://www.washingtoninformer.com/OPEDlettertoeditor2006Aug3.html
Irrelevant, passé, past its prime; all are terms that have been used recently, and for quite some time to describe the century-old National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Undoubtedly, others say much worse. However, regardless of what one may think about an institution that continues to refer to African Americans as Colored People near the end of the first decade of the 21st Century, the issue of the organization's’s viability remains a pertinent concern.
The venerable Organization celebrated its One Hundredth Anniversary, February 12, 2009. This past weekend, as the Organization kicked-off its Centennial-Year Convention in New York, the CNN Network posed the question, "Is the NAACP still relevant?"
Over the course of the past 100 years, the NAACP has been involved in many landmark decisions in America, having to do with race. But the question of the Day, apparently, is what has it done lately?
In an era when a black man can be elected President of the United States of America, numerous observers inquire, what mountains are left to be scaled in the arena of race in our society? It is fashionable to opine, that the war has been won; next!
That is where, here and now, I submit the question, as well as the premise it is built upon, is a non sequitur of the highest order. There are actually several staples that typically serve as the foundation for this fundamentally flawed and specious argument. The planks include:
• Existing civil rights legislation and protections
• Development and evolution of an identifiable black middle class
• Rising number of black elected officials
• President Obama
Make no mistake, the items on this list are important, and reflect a series of positive changes in our dear America the Beautiful. But do not get it twisted, nor be tempted to throw the baby out with the bath water. Each of those bullet points was the result of protracted battles, often fought by the NAACP. It is fair to say many battled, and in doing so, made the ultimate sacrifice to bring about the changes that are reflected by that list. Moreover, the battles continue.
Yes, blacks in America have made tremendous advances; however, it is not as though the start was on equal footing. The degree to which racial disparities continue to persist is staggering. In social and economic indicators across the board, blacks lag, and the gap while narrowing, is moving at a pace that if continued at the current pace, would require centuries to close. Consider just a few of the numbing details:
• The Institute of Policy Research found that 47.2% of blacks own homes compared
to 75.2% of whites
• The Covenant with Black America noted African Americans have a median net
worth of $5998, compared to $88,651 for whites; moreover 32% of blacks have
zero or negative net worth
• The black unemployment rate is consistently twice that of whites
• According to the National Urban League, nearly 25% of black Americans live
below the poverty line, nearly three times the percentage for whites
• It is estimated 13% of black 16-24 year-olds have not earned a high school
diploma; the number is 7% for whites
• The African American college graduation rate is 61% of that for whites
• Black infants are nearly 2.5 times more likely to die before their first
birthday than whites
(Courtesy of Anson Asaka; April 24, 2008)
Those are depressing statistics, but they do not by any means tell the entire story. Equally appalling figures detail disparities in HIV/AIDS rates, the propensity for incarceration, and victimization of blacks by police violence.
Add to all these measures the fact that almost daily some new affront or assault permeates the veneer that is our comfortably civil society. Whether it is likening the First Lady to an ape escaped from the Columbia, South Carolina Zoo, or disseminating an Obama White House Watermelon Patch parody (sent by high ranking government officials from California, and North Carolina), or rescinding a contract and barring black and Latino children from using a swimming in Pennsylvania, the facts are beyond dispute; there is much work to be done...still!
Given the weight of the evidence, I must conclude, “The NAACP; 100 Years Later,” is relevant, currently needed, and no where near its prime. If anything, we should all call collectively for substantial and capable reinforcement. Quickly!
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://naacpblogs.naacp.org/blog/?p=24
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100752659
http://www.naacp.org/about/history/howbegan/index.htm
http://www.africanaonline.com/orga_naacp.htm
http://newblackman.blogspot.com/2009/02/npr-is-naacp-still-relevant.html
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/05/naacp-still-rel.html
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/12/NAACP-still-relevant-leader-says/UPI-19391234469587/
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/387780_naacp14.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hBWSL3NpQc
http://www.michronicleonline.com/articlelive/articles/2781/1/Rev-Wendell-Anthony-answers-the-questionIs-the-NAACP-still-relevant/Page1.html
http://blogs.bet.com/news/pamela/2009/07/14/naacp-still-relevent/
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/07/14/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5159873.shtml
http://www.washingtoninformer.com/wi-web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1614:bold-dreams-big-victories-highlights-naacp-100th-anniversary-convention-&catid=51:national&Itemid=114
http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/136415
http://www.washingtoninformer.com/OPEDlettertoeditor2006Aug3.html
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
"Sarah And The Seventy Percent Solution!"
It's time to Break It Down!
Though not quite the Gold Mine last week was, the days ensuing since last Wednesday have been filled with many topics ripe for discussion. The King of Pop’s 15 Minutes of fame have been expanded to nearly 15 days, crescendoing with yesterday’s star-studded Memorial Service in the Staple Center. Twenty thousand attended, and it is estimated more than a billion people watched, worldwide. Steve “Air” McNair’s murder and the continuing emerging details vied for major attention. President Obama participated in a Russian Summit earlier this week, will attend the G-8 Summit in Italy, beginning today, then will travel to Ghana Friday, before returning to Washington Saturday.
All that is exciting, but today’s spotlight is devoted to soon to be former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. In a move that surprised virtually everyone, even those who follow such things, Governor Palin announced Friday she is stepping down as Governor July 26th, and ceding the Governorship to the State’s Lieutenant Governor, Sean Parnell. The move has created wide-ranging speculation about the cause of her sudden and unexpected departure, a year early.
The notions espoused for her leaving office run the gamut, and include the assertion that her decision is influenced by the substantial litigation that the she has been forced to fend off, the contention that her continued service was costly to both the State of Alaska ($2 Million), and to she and her family ($500 Thousand), citing the opportunity to greatly increase her wealth by freeing herself of albatross of the Governorship, and one of the most popular notions; she will use her resignation as a Kick-off for the 2012 Presidential Campaign.
While the Governor mentioned a number of reasons for quitting in her rambling news conference, Lieutenant Governor Parnell cited the time and expense of the ethics charges as the most compelling reason of which he was aware.
The charges have been on her mind lately. She has always reveled in the thrusting and parrying of debate rather than let attacks go. During the Vice-Presidential campaign, she ordered her staff to devote time and energy to quashing untrue or extraneous blog rumors. Over the weekend, she directed her lawyers to vigorously and preemptively block stories about a federal investigation that was not even occurring. Moreover, she has often peppered what she considers the "mainstream media elite" and "liberal blogosphere" with her own special brand of the political brush back.
In all the fallout following the announcement, there are a couple of polling numbers that serve to underscore just how much, or rather perhaps, just how little the earth moved as a result of this matter. A USA Today/Gallup Poll revealed that 7 in 10 Americans say Palin’s decision to resign had no affect on their opinion of her. The poll, taken Monday, three days after her announcement, also indicated more than 7 in 10 Republicans say they would probably vote for Palin if she decided to run for the White House in 2012.
The poll pegged the number of Independents saying they would vote for Palin at 34%, and the number of Democrats at 17%. At first, these numbers may seem like the makings of a Democratic Party desired dream state. However, the mere thought that any Republican, but especially one with the potential appeal of Governor Palin, can count nearly 1-in-5 Democrats in his or her camp more than two years before the Primary season begins, should be more than a little unsettling.
I have no idea whether any of the ethics charges that loom large over the Governor’s head will gain any traction. Regardless, in the fairly politically cynical orbit in which my head dwells, The Governor has opted to do two things right away:
1) Cash in while the iron is hot
2) Launch her Presidential Campaign sooner rather than later
While it is tempting to file item number 2 under the heading, “She Can Dream,” one only needs to look as far back as Barack Obama to see an example of a raw underdog, and unlikely winner who turned it around and shocked the world. I am certainly not predicting Mrs. Palin will do the same thing. Though I am suggesting writing her off too soon could bring about, and in fact would be a recipe for disastrous consequences. Many still contend that was a key mistake made during the heat of the Clinton Campaign in ’08. We all know who that turned out, and where the “seemingly unbeatable” front-runner is today.
Political campaigns are strange organisms. The best of them have a variety of twists and turns, often ones you would never have predicted. Election Day 2012 is more than three years away, forty months in fact. Before then, we will learn how long the Great Recession of ’08 will last; we will have a better idea about the affect of the Stimulus Bill, we will see how General Motors and Chrysler fare in their next life, we will know whether we were able to decamp in Iraq, and we will know whether we can develop a successful Afghanistan Strategy.
All those matters may have more of an impact on the outcome of Campaign 2012, than whether Sarah Palin launches now or later. Be that as it may, you have now been made aware of “Sarah and the Seventy Percent Solution!” Knowledge is power; the rest is up to you.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACKm0AwStA8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/03/palin-step-down-alaska-governor/
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/07/if_ethics_charge_costs_caused.html
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20090703_palin_steps_down_as_alaska_governor/
http://www.newser.com/story/63497/palin-will-step-down.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090704/ap_on_re_us/us_palin_resigning
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070301738.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31726640/ns/politics-more_politics/
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=8009188&page=1
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5132137n
Though not quite the Gold Mine last week was, the days ensuing since last Wednesday have been filled with many topics ripe for discussion. The King of Pop’s 15 Minutes of fame have been expanded to nearly 15 days, crescendoing with yesterday’s star-studded Memorial Service in the Staple Center. Twenty thousand attended, and it is estimated more than a billion people watched, worldwide. Steve “Air” McNair’s murder and the continuing emerging details vied for major attention. President Obama participated in a Russian Summit earlier this week, will attend the G-8 Summit in Italy, beginning today, then will travel to Ghana Friday, before returning to Washington Saturday.
All that is exciting, but today’s spotlight is devoted to soon to be former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. In a move that surprised virtually everyone, even those who follow such things, Governor Palin announced Friday she is stepping down as Governor July 26th, and ceding the Governorship to the State’s Lieutenant Governor, Sean Parnell. The move has created wide-ranging speculation about the cause of her sudden and unexpected departure, a year early.
The notions espoused for her leaving office run the gamut, and include the assertion that her decision is influenced by the substantial litigation that the she has been forced to fend off, the contention that her continued service was costly to both the State of Alaska ($2 Million), and to she and her family ($500 Thousand), citing the opportunity to greatly increase her wealth by freeing herself of albatross of the Governorship, and one of the most popular notions; she will use her resignation as a Kick-off for the 2012 Presidential Campaign.
While the Governor mentioned a number of reasons for quitting in her rambling news conference, Lieutenant Governor Parnell cited the time and expense of the ethics charges as the most compelling reason of which he was aware.
The charges have been on her mind lately. She has always reveled in the thrusting and parrying of debate rather than let attacks go. During the Vice-Presidential campaign, she ordered her staff to devote time and energy to quashing untrue or extraneous blog rumors. Over the weekend, she directed her lawyers to vigorously and preemptively block stories about a federal investigation that was not even occurring. Moreover, she has often peppered what she considers the "mainstream media elite" and "liberal blogosphere" with her own special brand of the political brush back.
In all the fallout following the announcement, there are a couple of polling numbers that serve to underscore just how much, or rather perhaps, just how little the earth moved as a result of this matter. A USA Today/Gallup Poll revealed that 7 in 10 Americans say Palin’s decision to resign had no affect on their opinion of her. The poll, taken Monday, three days after her announcement, also indicated more than 7 in 10 Republicans say they would probably vote for Palin if she decided to run for the White House in 2012.
The poll pegged the number of Independents saying they would vote for Palin at 34%, and the number of Democrats at 17%. At first, these numbers may seem like the makings of a Democratic Party desired dream state. However, the mere thought that any Republican, but especially one with the potential appeal of Governor Palin, can count nearly 1-in-5 Democrats in his or her camp more than two years before the Primary season begins, should be more than a little unsettling.
I have no idea whether any of the ethics charges that loom large over the Governor’s head will gain any traction. Regardless, in the fairly politically cynical orbit in which my head dwells, The Governor has opted to do two things right away:
1) Cash in while the iron is hot
2) Launch her Presidential Campaign sooner rather than later
While it is tempting to file item number 2 under the heading, “She Can Dream,” one only needs to look as far back as Barack Obama to see an example of a raw underdog, and unlikely winner who turned it around and shocked the world. I am certainly not predicting Mrs. Palin will do the same thing. Though I am suggesting writing her off too soon could bring about, and in fact would be a recipe for disastrous consequences. Many still contend that was a key mistake made during the heat of the Clinton Campaign in ’08. We all know who that turned out, and where the “seemingly unbeatable” front-runner is today.
Political campaigns are strange organisms. The best of them have a variety of twists and turns, often ones you would never have predicted. Election Day 2012 is more than three years away, forty months in fact. Before then, we will learn how long the Great Recession of ’08 will last; we will have a better idea about the affect of the Stimulus Bill, we will see how General Motors and Chrysler fare in their next life, we will know whether we were able to decamp in Iraq, and we will know whether we can develop a successful Afghanistan Strategy.
All those matters may have more of an impact on the outcome of Campaign 2012, than whether Sarah Palin launches now or later. Be that as it may, you have now been made aware of “Sarah and the Seventy Percent Solution!” Knowledge is power; the rest is up to you.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACKm0AwStA8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/03/palin-step-down-alaska-governor/
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/07/if_ethics_charge_costs_caused.html
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20090703_palin_steps_down_as_alaska_governor/
http://www.newser.com/story/63497/palin-will-step-down.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090704/ap_on_re_us/us_palin_resigning
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070301738.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31726640/ns/politics-more_politics/
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=8009188&page=1
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5132137n
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
"The King Of Pop: Gone Too Soon!"
It's time to Break It Down!
What a week! We now know South Carolina Governor Sanford was on the lam in Argentina, instead of hiking the Appalachian Trail, and that he had more "liaisons," Judge Denny Chin threw the book at Bernard Madoff to the tune of 150 years, the U.S. initiated troop withdrawal from Iraq, as scheduled, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey climate change Bill, The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a ruling against white firefighters in New Haven Connecticut, the Charlotte Bobcats' Carolina educated brain trust drafted the team’s first-ever Dookie, Larry Bird, and the Indiana Pacers drafted a guy every ABC (Anybody But Carolina) member swears will be out of the League after his first contract, the US Soccer, after upsetting Number 1 Spain, lost a hard fought match to Brazil, and oh yeah, the Minnesota Supreme Court declared Al Franken the winner of that State's long contested Senatorial race, giving Democrats 60 votes in the Senate for the first time in 30 years.
As much as those dynamic events fueled our interest during the past week, it was the death of four iconic mavens of entertainment that many will cite as the reference points for the week. Ed McMahon, 86, Farrah Fawcett, 62, Michael Jackson, 50, and Billy Mays, also 50, all died since last Tuesday. As you can glean, I decided to focus on Michael.
Since last Thursday afternoon, news outlets across the Globe have been riveted by the still unfolding melodrama that is the recounting of the life and death of the world’s most renowned Pop Artist. There is a powerful temptation to reduce Michael Jackson to the familiar Wacko-Jacko moniker that many have used to describe him for more than a decade. Indeed, in recent years, Jackson news was too often punctuated by the odd, the weird, and/or the absurd, rather than focusing on his enormous talent, achievements, and contributions to society.
In contemplating penning a piece about Michael Jackson, who would have been 51 this summer, I have decided to start by stipulating the things upon which I will not dwell. This will not be:
• A story about other peoples’ prepubescent children
• A discussion of Bubbles (neither the Monkey nor hyperbaric chambers)
• A treatise on military attire or ensembles
• A retrospective on burning hair
• An in-depth explanation of vitiligo
• A shout out to Emmanuel Lewis
• An insightful look at Brook Shields, Lisa Marie Presley,
or Debbie Rowe
• An explanation of the effects of Demerol
• A definition of OxyContin
• An e-beat down of Joseph Jackson
By pressing the delete key on those topics and others, I am neither attempting to protect Michael, nor denying that his personal history includes, or at least was rumored to insinuate those elements into the fabric of his life. Many of them were, and the others may have been. However, judging from what I have seen, heard, and read in various media, you will have no difficulty following any or all of those lines of inquiry through other means.
Instead, I am using this space to reminisce, briefly, about a force of nature that I had all but forgotten. One entertainment analyst proclaimed on CNN that Michael Jackson, at his best, combined James Brown, The Beatles, and Elvis…no last name necessary. One could easily argue that is a neatly packaged dose of hyperbole. Yet, looked at on balance, when considering Michael credited Brown with being one of his most influential mentors, and considering further still that he outbid Sir Paul McCartney for publishing rights to The Beatles’ Song Catalogue, and considering even further, that he married Elvis’ baby girl…maybe the guy had a point!
The evolution of Michael Jackson from The Jackson 5, to a member of The Jacksons, to solo act extraordinaire, included an array of versatile shape-shifting elements. He was a superbly gifted entertainer, but he was also always so much more. Viewed in a technical light, his voice was neither exceptionally strong, nor overly rich in tenor, tone, or texture, but it was a facile instrument; one that he commanded in a uniquely satisfying fashion. His irrepressible style launched Bubble Gum Soul, mastered Disco Funk, soared to the top of the Pop Charts, and transitioned seamlessly into the domination of R&B.
In the early days, MJ (before Jordan assumed that nom de plume) led The Jackson 5 to four consecutive Chart Toppers ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There"), on the Billboard 100; a first. The Group had signed with Motown in 1968, where they stayed until 1975. After numerous differences over creative control, the Group abandoned the name Jackson 5, and moved to CBS Records (eventually Epic) in 1975.
During The Jacksons era, Michael was the lead singer-songwriter, and produced several hits, including, "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel" and "Can You Feel It". In 1978, Michael starred as the Scarecrow in the musical The Wiz, in which Quincy Jones produced the musical score. This collaboration led to an agreement for Jones to produce MJ’s next solo album.
Off The Wall, released in 1979, became the portal for entry into the Michael Jackson era. Jones assembled a talented stable of writers including Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. The project was the first to generate four U.S. Top Ten hits, including two chart-toppers, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".
If Off The Wall established Michael as a capable stand-alone artist, the next major step in his development would forever change the music world as we knew it. In 1982, Jackson won a Grammy for “Someone in the Dark,” part of the ”E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” Soundtrack.
However, this was merely a prelude to his quintessential moment in the sun. Later in the year, he would release Thriller. The album remained in the Billboard Top Ten for 80 consecutive weeks, 37 of those in the top spot. Seven singles concurrently resided in Billboard’s Top Ten.
Suddenly Jackson was re-writing all the rules. Before Thriller, MTV, a relatively new phenomenon, was effectively the sole purview of white Pop artists. With the musical success of his album, and the accompanying epic Video Short Films, Jackson revolutionized the fledgling MTV Generation, and its expectation for the music video genre. Thriller went on to become the top selling album of all-time, cresting 109 million copies in sales, worldwide. In fact, the album was so popular; it experienced a renaissance in sales when re-released to commemorate its 25th Anniversary.
Jackson died last Thursday. I spent a large portion of the weekend traveling by car. In doing so, I had an opportunity to hear several of the many on-air musical tributes to the King of Pop. In spending time with Michael and his music, I rediscovered something that had nearly evaporated from my consciousness: the musical genius of Michael Joseph Jackson.
Of course there are numerous facets to Michael. In addition to those that I referenced in passing, but will not focus on, he was a giant philanthropist. He not only spearheaded the “We Are The World,” Project, but he started the “Heal The World Foundation,” which focuses on bringing attention to the fight against AIDS, and he founded over 30 other Charities, as well.
Jackson’s speaking voice was meek and timid-sounding. In song, it was perhaps his most effective instrument, though his master stagecraft was a noted calling card as well. He captivated the imagination of a massive television audience during Motown 25th Anniversary Special with his dazzling Moon Walk. Long before Johnny Cochrane, he demonstrated the effectiveness of the artful use and display of one glove. Yet, when distilled to its essence, we could find Michael’s message most often, where we expected it. The message was in the music!
Early in the game, he insisted, along with his brethren, “Never Can Say Good-bye.” As he stepped out on his own, he confided he was, “Off The Wall.” In his true declaration of independence, he boasted that he was a “Thriller.” In a rare moment of shared reflection, he conceded he was “The Man In The Mirror.” He told us in unmistakable terms, that not only was he “Bad,” he was also “Dangerous.” Then, just when we were set for the next installation of History: Past; Present; and Future,” instead of completing his 50-Concert series in London, he opted to exchange mortal bonds for immortality, and suddenly we were left with a sober reality, “The King of Pop: Gone Too Soon!” In lieu of Good-bye; R.I.P. Michael.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/gonetoosoon.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0mcxmCGetI&NR=1
http://music.spreadit.org/man-in-the-mirror-lyrics-michael-jackson-man-in-the-mirror/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPSkurGQj-M
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Never-Can-Say-Goodbye-lyrics-The-Jackson-5/8F59154734462B6948256BF300107639
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbv-5h_oXZw
http://www.mjcafe.net/the%20legend%20speeches%20&%20faq/b4.htm
http://www.time.com/time/video/?bcpid=1485842900&bctid=27610055001
http://www.ukhairdressers.com/Celeb%20Wedding/Michael%20Jackson%20and%20Lisa%20Marie%20Presley.asp
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-513206/My-life-mother-Michael-Jacksons-children-Debbie-Rowe.html
http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-me-jackson-style26-2009jun26,0,2652330.story
http://www.maximum-jackson.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=5062
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-jackson-rehearsal27-2009jun27,0,4699249.story
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/update-michael-jackson-up-to-50-london-shows-1003951183.story
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-511702/Unveiled-Michael-Jackson-finally-shows-children-world.html
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/06/exclusive-strangest-photo-ever-michael-jackson
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1614763/20090626/jackson_michael.jhtml
What a week! We now know South Carolina Governor Sanford was on the lam in Argentina, instead of hiking the Appalachian Trail, and that he had more "liaisons," Judge Denny Chin threw the book at Bernard Madoff to the tune of 150 years, the U.S. initiated troop withdrawal from Iraq, as scheduled, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey climate change Bill, The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a ruling against white firefighters in New Haven Connecticut, the Charlotte Bobcats' Carolina educated brain trust drafted the team’s first-ever Dookie, Larry Bird, and the Indiana Pacers drafted a guy every ABC (Anybody But Carolina) member swears will be out of the League after his first contract, the US Soccer, after upsetting Number 1 Spain, lost a hard fought match to Brazil, and oh yeah, the Minnesota Supreme Court declared Al Franken the winner of that State's long contested Senatorial race, giving Democrats 60 votes in the Senate for the first time in 30 years.
As much as those dynamic events fueled our interest during the past week, it was the death of four iconic mavens of entertainment that many will cite as the reference points for the week. Ed McMahon, 86, Farrah Fawcett, 62, Michael Jackson, 50, and Billy Mays, also 50, all died since last Tuesday. As you can glean, I decided to focus on Michael.
Since last Thursday afternoon, news outlets across the Globe have been riveted by the still unfolding melodrama that is the recounting of the life and death of the world’s most renowned Pop Artist. There is a powerful temptation to reduce Michael Jackson to the familiar Wacko-Jacko moniker that many have used to describe him for more than a decade. Indeed, in recent years, Jackson news was too often punctuated by the odd, the weird, and/or the absurd, rather than focusing on his enormous talent, achievements, and contributions to society.
In contemplating penning a piece about Michael Jackson, who would have been 51 this summer, I have decided to start by stipulating the things upon which I will not dwell. This will not be:
• A story about other peoples’ prepubescent children
• A discussion of Bubbles (neither the Monkey nor hyperbaric chambers)
• A treatise on military attire or ensembles
• A retrospective on burning hair
• An in-depth explanation of vitiligo
• A shout out to Emmanuel Lewis
• An insightful look at Brook Shields, Lisa Marie Presley,
or Debbie Rowe
• An explanation of the effects of Demerol
• A definition of OxyContin
• An e-beat down of Joseph Jackson
By pressing the delete key on those topics and others, I am neither attempting to protect Michael, nor denying that his personal history includes, or at least was rumored to insinuate those elements into the fabric of his life. Many of them were, and the others may have been. However, judging from what I have seen, heard, and read in various media, you will have no difficulty following any or all of those lines of inquiry through other means.
Instead, I am using this space to reminisce, briefly, about a force of nature that I had all but forgotten. One entertainment analyst proclaimed on CNN that Michael Jackson, at his best, combined James Brown, The Beatles, and Elvis…no last name necessary. One could easily argue that is a neatly packaged dose of hyperbole. Yet, looked at on balance, when considering Michael credited Brown with being one of his most influential mentors, and considering further still that he outbid Sir Paul McCartney for publishing rights to The Beatles’ Song Catalogue, and considering even further, that he married Elvis’ baby girl…maybe the guy had a point!
The evolution of Michael Jackson from The Jackson 5, to a member of The Jacksons, to solo act extraordinaire, included an array of versatile shape-shifting elements. He was a superbly gifted entertainer, but he was also always so much more. Viewed in a technical light, his voice was neither exceptionally strong, nor overly rich in tenor, tone, or texture, but it was a facile instrument; one that he commanded in a uniquely satisfying fashion. His irrepressible style launched Bubble Gum Soul, mastered Disco Funk, soared to the top of the Pop Charts, and transitioned seamlessly into the domination of R&B.
In the early days, MJ (before Jordan assumed that nom de plume) led The Jackson 5 to four consecutive Chart Toppers ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There"), on the Billboard 100; a first. The Group had signed with Motown in 1968, where they stayed until 1975. After numerous differences over creative control, the Group abandoned the name Jackson 5, and moved to CBS Records (eventually Epic) in 1975.
During The Jacksons era, Michael was the lead singer-songwriter, and produced several hits, including, "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel" and "Can You Feel It". In 1978, Michael starred as the Scarecrow in the musical The Wiz, in which Quincy Jones produced the musical score. This collaboration led to an agreement for Jones to produce MJ’s next solo album.
Off The Wall, released in 1979, became the portal for entry into the Michael Jackson era. Jones assembled a talented stable of writers including Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. The project was the first to generate four U.S. Top Ten hits, including two chart-toppers, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".
If Off The Wall established Michael as a capable stand-alone artist, the next major step in his development would forever change the music world as we knew it. In 1982, Jackson won a Grammy for “Someone in the Dark,” part of the ”E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” Soundtrack.
However, this was merely a prelude to his quintessential moment in the sun. Later in the year, he would release Thriller. The album remained in the Billboard Top Ten for 80 consecutive weeks, 37 of those in the top spot. Seven singles concurrently resided in Billboard’s Top Ten.
Suddenly Jackson was re-writing all the rules. Before Thriller, MTV, a relatively new phenomenon, was effectively the sole purview of white Pop artists. With the musical success of his album, and the accompanying epic Video Short Films, Jackson revolutionized the fledgling MTV Generation, and its expectation for the music video genre. Thriller went on to become the top selling album of all-time, cresting 109 million copies in sales, worldwide. In fact, the album was so popular; it experienced a renaissance in sales when re-released to commemorate its 25th Anniversary.
Jackson died last Thursday. I spent a large portion of the weekend traveling by car. In doing so, I had an opportunity to hear several of the many on-air musical tributes to the King of Pop. In spending time with Michael and his music, I rediscovered something that had nearly evaporated from my consciousness: the musical genius of Michael Joseph Jackson.
Of course there are numerous facets to Michael. In addition to those that I referenced in passing, but will not focus on, he was a giant philanthropist. He not only spearheaded the “We Are The World,” Project, but he started the “Heal The World Foundation,” which focuses on bringing attention to the fight against AIDS, and he founded over 30 other Charities, as well.
Jackson’s speaking voice was meek and timid-sounding. In song, it was perhaps his most effective instrument, though his master stagecraft was a noted calling card as well. He captivated the imagination of a massive television audience during Motown 25th Anniversary Special with his dazzling Moon Walk. Long before Johnny Cochrane, he demonstrated the effectiveness of the artful use and display of one glove. Yet, when distilled to its essence, we could find Michael’s message most often, where we expected it. The message was in the music!
Early in the game, he insisted, along with his brethren, “Never Can Say Good-bye.” As he stepped out on his own, he confided he was, “Off The Wall.” In his true declaration of independence, he boasted that he was a “Thriller.” In a rare moment of shared reflection, he conceded he was “The Man In The Mirror.” He told us in unmistakable terms, that not only was he “Bad,” he was also “Dangerous.” Then, just when we were set for the next installation of History: Past; Present; and Future,” instead of completing his 50-Concert series in London, he opted to exchange mortal bonds for immortality, and suddenly we were left with a sober reality, “The King of Pop: Gone Too Soon!” In lieu of Good-bye; R.I.P. Michael.
I’m done; holla back!
Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.
For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/gonetoosoon.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0mcxmCGetI&NR=1
http://music.spreadit.org/man-in-the-mirror-lyrics-michael-jackson-man-in-the-mirror/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPSkurGQj-M
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Never-Can-Say-Goodbye-lyrics-The-Jackson-5/8F59154734462B6948256BF300107639
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbv-5h_oXZw
http://www.mjcafe.net/the%20legend%20speeches%20&%20faq/b4.htm
http://www.time.com/time/video/?bcpid=1485842900&bctid=27610055001
http://www.ukhairdressers.com/Celeb%20Wedding/Michael%20Jackson%20and%20Lisa%20Marie%20Presley.asp
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-513206/My-life-mother-Michael-Jacksons-children-Debbie-Rowe.html
http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-me-jackson-style26-2009jun26,0,2652330.story
http://www.maximum-jackson.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=5062
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-jackson-rehearsal27-2009jun27,0,4699249.story
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/update-michael-jackson-up-to-50-london-shows-1003951183.story
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-511702/Unveiled-Michael-Jackson-finally-shows-children-world.html
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/06/exclusive-strangest-photo-ever-michael-jackson
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1614763/20090626/jackson_michael.jhtml
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